There is something particularly unnerving about demon possession. It's the idea of something you can't see or control creeping into your body and taking up residence eventually obliterating all you once were and turning you into nothing more than a sack of meat to be manipulated. Then there's also the shrouded ritual around exorcisms: the Latin chants the flesh-sizzling crucifixes and the burning Holy Water. As it turns out exorcism isn't just the domain of Catholics.
The myths and legends of the Jews aren't nearly as well known but their creepy dybbuk goes toe-to-toe with anything other world religions come up with. There are various interpretations of what a dybbuk is or where it comes from — is it a ghost a demon a soul of a sinner? — but in any case it's looking for a body to hang out in for a while. Especially according to the solemn Hasidic Jews in The Possession an innocent young person and even better a young girl.
The central idea in The Possession is that a fancy-looking wooden box bought at a garage sale was specifically created to house a dybbuk that was tormenting its previous owner. Unfortunately it caught the eye of young Emily (Natasha Calis) a sensitive artistic girl who persuades her freshly divorced dad Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan of Watchmen and Grey's Anatomy) to buy it for her. Never mind the odd carvings on it — that would be Hebrew — or how it's created without seams so it would be difficult to open or why it's an object of fascination for a young girl; Clyde is trying really hard to please his disaffected daughters and do the typical freshly divorced parent dance of trying to please them no matter the cost.
Soon enough the creepy voices calling to Emily from the box convince her to open it up; inside are even creepier personal objects that are just harbingers of what's to come for her her older sister Hannah (Madison Davenport) her mom Stephanie (Kyra Sedgwick) and even Stephanie's annoying new boyfriend Brett (Grant Show). Clyde and Stephanie squabble over things like pizza for dinner and try to convince each other and themselves that Emily's increasingly odd behavior is that of a troubled adolescent. It's not of course and eventually Clyde enlists the help of the son of a Hasidic rabbi a young man named Tzadok played by the former Hasidic reggae musician Matisyahu to help them perform an exorcism on Emily.
The Possession is not going to join the ranks of The Exorcist in the horror pantheon but it does do a remarkable job of making its characters intelligent and even occasionally droll and it offers up plenty of chills despite a PG-13 rating. Perhaps it's because of that rating that The Possession is so effective; the filmmakers are forced to make the benign scary. Giant moths and flying Torahs take the place of little Reagan violently masturbating with a crucifix in The Exorcist. Gagging and binging on food is also an indicator of Emily's possession — an interesting twist given the anxieties of becoming a woman a girl Emily's age would face. There is something inside her controlling her and she knows it and she is fighting it. The most impressive part of Calis's performance is how she communicates Emily's torment with a few simple tears rolling down her face as the dybbuk's control grows. The camerawork adds to the anxiety; one particularly scary scene uses ordinary glass kitchenware to great effect.
The Possession is a short 92 minutes and it does dawdle in places. It seems as though some of the scenes were juggled around to make the PG-13 cut; the moth infestation scene would have made more sense later in the movie. Some of the problems are solved too quickly or simply and yet it also takes a while for Clyde's character to get with it. Stephanie is a fairly bland character; she makes jewelry and yells at Clyde for not being present in their marriage a lot and then there's a thing with a restraining order that's pretty silly. Emily is occasionally dressed up like your typical horror movie spooky girl with shadowed eyes an over-powdered face and dark clothes; it's much more disturbing when she just looks like an ordinary though ill young girl. The scenes in the heavily Hasidic neighborhood in Brooklyn look oddly fake and while it's hard to think of who else could have played Tzadok an observant Hasidic Jew who is also an outsider willing to take risks the others will not Matisyahu is not a very good actor. Still the filmmakers should be commended for authenticity insofar as Matisyahu has studied and lived as a Hasidic Jew.
It would be cool if Lionsgate and Ghost House Pictures were to release the R-rated version of the movie on DVD. What the filmmakers have done within the confines of a PG-13 rating is creepy enough to make me curious to see the more adult version. The Possession is no horror superstar and its name is all too forgettable in a summer full of long-gestating horror movies quickly pushed out the door. It's entertaining enough and could even find a broader audience on DVD. Jeffrey Dean Morgan can read the Old Testament to me any time.

There's an allure to imperfection. With his latest drama Lawless director John Hillcoat taps directly into the side of human nature that draws us to it. Hillcoat finds it in Prohibition history a time when the regulations of alcohol consumption were subverted by most of the population; He finds it in the rural landscapes of Virginia: dingy raw and mesmerizing. And most importantly he finds it in his main character Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) the scrappy third brother of a moonshining family who is desperate to prove his worth. Jack forcefully injects himself into the family business only to discover there's an underbelly to the underbelly. Lawless is a beautiful film that's violent as hell striking in a way only unfiltered Americana could be.
Acting as the driver for his two outlaw brothers Forrest (Tom Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke) isn't enough for Jack. He's enticed by the power of the gangster figure and entranced by what moonshine money can buy. So like any fledgling entrepreneur Jack takes matters into his own hands. Recruiting crippled family friend/distillery mastermind Cricket (Dane DeHaan) the young whippersnapper sets out to brew his own batch sell it to top dog Floyd Banner and make the family rich. The plan works — but it puts the Bondurant boys in over their heads with a new threat: the corrupt law enforcers of Chicago.
Unlike many stories of crime life Lawless isn't about escalation. The movie drifts back and forth leisurely popping in moments like the beats of a great TV episode. One second the Bondurants could be talking shop with their female shopkeep Maggie Beauford (Jessica Chastain). The next Forrest is beating the bloody pulp out of a cop blackmailing their operation. The plot isn't thick; Hillcoat and screenwriter Nick Cave preferring to bask in the landscapes the quiet moments the haunting terror that comes with a life on the other side of the tracks. A feature film doesn't offer enough time for Lawless to build — it recalls cinema-level TV currently playing on outlets like HBO and AMC that have truly spoiled us — but what the duo accomplish is engrossing.
Accompanying the glowing visuals and Cave's knockout workout on the music side (a toe-tapping mix of spirituals bluegrass and the writer/musician's spine-tingling violin) are muted performances from some of Hollywood's rising stars. Despite LaBeouf's off-screen antics he lights up Lawless and nails the in-deep whippersnapper. His playful relationship with a local religious girl (Mia Wasikowska) solidifies him as a leading man but like everything in the movie you want more. Tom Hardy is one of the few performers who can "uurrr" and "mmmnerm" his way through a scene and come out on top. His greatest sparring partner isn't a hulking thug but Chastain who brings out the heart of the impenetrable beast. The real gem of Lawless is Guy Pearce as the Bondurant trio's biggest threat. Shaved eyebrows pristine city clothes and a temper like a rabid wolverine Pearce's Charlie Rakes is the most frightening villain of 2012. He viciously chews up every moment he's on screen. That's even before he starts drawing blood.
Lawless is the perfect movie for the late August haze — not quite the Oscary prestige picture or the summertime shoot-'em-up. It's drama that has its moonshine and swigs it too. Just don't drink too much.
="font-style:>

Do the Bourne movies make any sense? Enough. The first three films — The Bourne Identity Supremacy and Ultimatum — throw in just enough detail into the covert ops babble and high-speed action that by the end Jason Bourne comes out an emotional character with an evident mission. That's where Bourne Legacy drops the ball. A "sidequel" to the original trilogy Legacy follows super soldier Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) as he runs jumps and shoots his way out of the hands of his government captors. The film is identical to its predecessors; political intrigue chase scenes morally ambiguous CIA agents monitoring their man-on-the-run from a computer-filled HQ — a Bourne movie through and through. But Legacy has to dig deeper to find new ground to cover introducing elements of sci-fi into the equation. The result is surprisingly limp and even more incomprehensible.
Damon's Bourne spent three blockbusters uncovering his past erased by the assassin training program Treadstone. Renner's Alex Cross has a similar do-or-die mission: after Bourne's antics send Washington into a tizzy Cross' own training program Outcome is terminated. Unlike Bourne Cross is enhanced by "chems" (essentially steroid drugs) that keep him alive and kicking ass. When Outcome is ended Cross goes rogue to stay alive and find more pills.
Steeped heavily in the plot lines of the established mythology Bourne Legacy jumps back and forth between Cross and the clean up job of the movie's big bad (Edward Norton) and his elite squad of suits. The movie balances a lot of moving parts but the adventure never feels sprawling or all that exciting. Actress Rachel Weisz vibrant in nearly every role she takes on plays a chemist who is key to Cross' chemical woes. The two are forced into partnership Weisz limited to screaming cowering and sneaking past the occasional airport x-ray machine while her partner aggressively fistfights his way through any hurdle in his path. Renner is equally underserved. Cross is tailored to the actor's strengths — a darker more aggressive character than Damon's Bourne but with one out of every five of the character's lines being "CHEMS!" shouted at the top of his lungs Renner never has the time or the material to develop him.
Writer/director Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton Duplicity and the screenwriter of the previous three movies) is a master of dense language but his style choices can't breath life into the 21st century epic speak. In the film's necessary car chase Gilroy mimics the loose camera style of Ultimatum director Paul Greengrass without fully embracing it. The wishy washy approach sucks the life out of large-scale set pieces. The final 30 minutes of Bourne Legacy is a shaky cam naysayer's worst nightmare.
The Bourne Legacy demonstrates potential without ever kicking into high gear. One scene when Gilroy finally slows down and unleashes absolute terror on screen is striking. Unfortunately the moment doesn't involve our hero and its implications never explained. That sums up Legacy; by the film's conclusion it only feels like the first hour has played out. The movie crawls — which would be much more forgivable if the intense banter between its large ensemble carried weight. Instead Legacy packs the thrills of an airport thriller: sporadically entertaining and instantly forgettable.
="font-style:>

The Amazing Spider-Man would prefer if you didn't call it the fourth Spider-Man movie. See this ain't the Spider-Man your older brother knew from ten years ago — it's a reboot. The latest adventure to feature the comic book webslinger throws three movies worth of established mythology straight out the window swapping the original cast with an ensemble of fresh faces and resetting the franchise with a spiffy new origin story. "New" in the loosest sense of the word — the highlights of ASM mainly a sleek new design and spunky reinterpretation of Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and gal pal Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone) are weighed down by overpowering sense of familiarity. Nearly a beat for beat replica of the 2002 original with some irksome twists of mystery thrown in Amazing Spider-Man fails to evolve its hero or his quarrels. The film has a great sense of cinematic power but little responsibility in making it interesting.
We're first introduced to Peter Parker as a young boy watching as his parents rush out of the house in response to a hidden danger. Mr. and Mrs. Parker leave their son in the care of his Aunt May (Sally Fields) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) who raise him into Andrew Garfield's geeky cool spin on the character. Parker's a science whiz but faces the challenges of every day life — passing classes talking to girls the occasional jock with aggression issues — but all of life's woes are put on hold when the teen discovers a new clue in the mystery behind his parents' disappearance. The discovery of his dad's old briefcase and notes leads Peter to Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) a scientist working for mega-conglomerate Oscorp and his Dad's old partner. When they cross paths Connors instantly takes a liking to the wunderkind and loops him into the work he started with his father: replicating the regeneration abilities of lizards in amputee humans (Connors is driven to reform his own missing arm). But when Parker wanders into Oscorp's room full of spiders (a sloppily explained this-needs-to-be-here-for-this-to-happen device) he receives his legendary spider bite that transforms him into the hero we know.
Director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) desperately wants Amazing Spider-Man to work as a high school relationship movie but with the burden of massive amounts of plot and mythology to introduce the movie sags under the sheer volume of stuff. Stone turns Parker's object of affection Gwen Stacey into a three-dimensional character. Whenever they happen upon each other an awkward exchange in the hallway a flirtatious back-and-forth in the Oscorp lab (where Stacey is head…intern) or when the two finally begin a romantic relationship the two stars shine. They're vivid characters chopped to bits in the editing room diluted by boring franchise-building plot threads and routine action sequences. Seriously Amazing Spider-Man another mad scientist villain who uses himself as a test subject only to become a monster? And another bridge rescue scene? Amazing Spider-Man desperately wants to disconnect from the original trilogy but it's trapped in an inescapable shadow and does nothing radical to shake things up. Instead it settles for the same old same old while preparing for inevitable sequels instead of investing in its dynamic duo.
There's a sweet spot where the film really hits his stride. After discovering his spider-abilities Peter hits the streets for the first time. He's superhuman but still a headstrong teen full of obnoxious quips and close calls with shiv-wielding thugs. The action is slick small and playful Webb showing us something new by melding his indie sensibilities with big scale action. If only it lasted — the introduction of Ifans reptilian half The Lizard implodes Amazing Spider-Man into incomprehensible blockbuster chaos. A gargantuan beast wreaking havoc around New York City promises King Kong-like escapades for the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man but the lizard man has other plans: to rule the world! Or something. Whatever it takes to get Lizard and Spider-Man fighting on the top of a skyscraper over a doomsday machine — logic be damned.
Amazing Spider-Man peppers its banal foundation with great talent from Denis Leary as Gwen's wickedly funny dad and the police captain hunting down Spider-Man to Fields and Sheen as two loving adults in Peter's life to Garfield and Stone whose chemistry demands a follow-up for the sake of seeing them reunited. But it's all at the cost of putting on the most expensive recreation of all time with new demands imposed by the success Marvel's other properties (except that franchise teasing worked). Amazing Spider-Man introduces too many ideas that go nowhere undermining the actual threat at hand. No one wants to be unfulfilled but that's the overriding difference between the original movie and the update. You need to pay for the sequel to know what the heck is going on in this one.
="font-style:>

The daytime gang came out strong tonight to serve up its 39th Emmy Awards ceremony, with nary a mention of the of the earlier murder-suicide that occurred late last night at the Beverly Hilton--where the awards were taking place. The show started off with a very lost Anthony Geary, having trouble finding the stage after a sing-songy intro between Oscar the Grouch and Anderson Cooper.
So let's get down to brass tacks and talk winners and losers, alligators, dry skin jokes (Thanks, Bethenny Frankel), and THE Susan Lucci!
Almost as a parting gift to the legacy of Regis Philbin, Live! With Regis &amp; Kelly won several trophies in their respective categories. General Hospital was the big winner of the evening, bringing home several of the biggest trophies of the evening--including Outstanding Drama Series. But enough of us yammering on; check out the full list below of the biggest winners (winners are bolded) and the ones who shocked 'em all at the awards.
Outstanding Drama Series
All My Children (ABC)
Days Of Our Lives (NBC)
General Hospital (ABC)
The Young And The Restless (CBS)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Crystal Chappell, as Dr. Carly Manning Days Of Our Lives (NBC)
Debbie Morgan, as Angie Hubbard All My Children (ABC)
Erika Slezak, as Viki Lord One Life To Live (ABC)
Heather Tom, as Katie Logan Spencer The Bold And The Beautiful (CBS)
Laura Wright, as Carly Corinthos Jax General Hospital (ABC)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Maurice Bernard, as Michael “Sonny” Cointhos, Jr. General Hospital (ABC)
Anthony Geary, as Luke Spencer General Hospital (ABC)
John McCook, as Eric Forrester The Bold And The Beautiful (CBS)
Darnell Williams, as Jesse Hubbard All My Children (ABC)
Robert S. Woods, as Bo Buchanan One Life To Live (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Bradford Anderson as Damien Spinelli (General Hospital, ABC)
Matthew Ashford as Jack Deveraux (Days of our Lives, NBC)
Sean Blakemore as Shawn Butler (General Hospital, ABC)
Jonathan Jackson as Lucky Spencer (General Hospital, ABC)
Jason Thompson as Patrick Drake (General Hospital, ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Melissa Claire Egan as Annie Chandler (All My Children, ABC)
Genie Francis as Genevieve Atkinson (The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Nancy Lee Grahn as Alexis Davis (General Hospital, ABC)
Elizabeth Hendrickson as Chloe Mitchell (The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Rebecca Herbst as Elizabeth Webber (General Hospital, ABC)
Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
Eddie Alderson as Matthew Buchanan (One Life To Live, ABC)
Chad Duell as Michael Corinthos (General Hospital, ABC)
Chandler Massey as Will Horton (Days of our Lives, NBC)
Nathan Parsons as Ethan Lovett (General Hospital, ABC)
Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series
Molly Burnett as Melanie Layton (Days of our Lives, NBC)
Shelley Hennig as Stephanie Johnson (Days of our Lives, NBC)
Christel Khalil as Lily Winters (The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Jaqueline Macinnes Wood as Steffy Forrester (The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS)
Outstanding Talk Show — Entertainment
The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Syndicated)
Live With Regis And Kelly (Syndicated)
The Talk (CBS)
The View (ABC)
Outstanding Talk Show — Informative
Anderson
The Dr. Oz Show
The Doctors
Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host
Giada De Laurentiis, Giada At Home
Rick Bayless, Mexico One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless
Nate Berkus, The Nate Berkus Show
Paula Deen, Paula's Best Dishes
Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee
Outstanding Culinary Program
Sandwich King
Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction
Giada At Home
Guy's Big Bite
Outstanding Game Show Host
Ben Baily (Cash Cab, Discovery Channel)
Todd Newton (Family Game Night, The HUB)
Wayne Brady (Let's Make A Deal, CBS)
Meredith Vieira (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Syndicated)
Outstanding Talk Show Host
Anderson Cooper (Anderson, Syndicated)
Dr. Mehmet Oz (The Dr. Oz Show, Syndicated)
Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa (Live with Regis and Kelly, Syndicated)
Rachael Ray (Rachael Ray, Syndicated)
Dr. Lisa Masterson, Jillian Michaels, Dr. Andrew Ordon, Dr. Jim Sears, Dr. Travis Stork, Wendy Walsh (The Doctors, Syndicated)
Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show
BrainSurge (Nickelodeon)
Cash Cab (Discovery Channel)
Jeopardy! (Syndicated)
Let's Make A Deal (CBS)
Wheel of Fortune (Syndicated)
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Syndicated)
Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program
America's Court with Judge Ross
Judge Joe Brown
Last Shot with Judge Gunn
We the People with Gloria Allred
Oustanding Morning Program
Good Morning America (ABC)
Today Show (NBC)
Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team
All My Children (ABC)
Days of Our Lives (NBC)
General Hospital (ABC)
The Young and the Restless (CBS)
Oustanding Children's Animated Program
Curious George (PBS)
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (Nickelodeon)
Peep &amp; The Big Wide World (American Public Television)
Penguins of Madagascar (Nickelodeon)
Sid the Science Kid (PBS)
SpongeBob SquarePants (Nickelodeon)
Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series
Dakota Goyo as Josh (R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour The Series, The HUB)
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby Cadaby (Sesame Street, PBS)
Kevin Clash as Elmo (Sesame Street, PBS)
Caroll Spinney as Big Bird (Sesame Street, PBS)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Bill Geddie
What did you think of this year's awards? Anyone you were surprised or happy to see recognized? Let us know in the comments!
[Image Credit: HLN]
Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes
More:
Murder! Intrigue! Daytime Emmy Awards!
Daytime Emmy Awards: All the Talkative, Soapy, Kiddie TV
General Hospital leads Daytime Emmy Award nominations
2012 Daytime Emmy Awards Winners

Like sands through the hourglass...the Daytime Emmy Awards are coming to TV live on Saturday night on HLN. So what can we expect of the show, which features some of the hardest-working (and most dramatic!) folks on TV?
Well, a celebration of what is seemingly a dying part of television's daytime history, for sure: soap operas! But what is it about soap operas that hook people in so fervently? Soap operas, while becoming a harder sell in they daytime, have heavily influenced some of today's top television series--where do you think Downton Abbey and Revenge got the idea to have such a juicy, drama-filled format? Celebrating the history (and point of evolution for some of our favorite shows) is definitely worthwhile, but it's not all that they're going to be giving awards to; the show will also highlight daytime talk, children's programming, and courtroom programming (which has their own separate genre/award; who knew?). Some of the culture's most ridiculous moments (aka anything with Kathie Lee and Hoda) happen in these wee hours, and we're excited to see how a party where they're all in the same room comes about.
Check out the nominees below, and tell us: what do you think about daytime programming? Sound off in the comments!
Outstanding Drama Series
“All My Children,” ABC
“Days of Our Lives,” NBC
“General Hospital,” ABC
“The Young and the Restless," CBS
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Maurice Benard, Michael "Sonny" Corinthos, Jr. on “General Hospital”
Anthony Geary, Luke Spencer on “General Hospital”
John McCook, as Eric Forrester on “The Bold and the Beautiful”
Darnell Williams, as Jesse Hubbard on “All My Children”
Robert S. Woods, as Bo Buchanan on “One Life to Live”
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Crystal Chappell, as Dr. Carly Manning on “Days of our Lives”
Debbi Morgan, as Angie Hubbard on “All My Children”
Erika Slezak, as Viki Lord on “One Life to Live”
Heather Tom, as Katie Logan Spencer on “The Bold and the Beautiful”
Laura Wright, as Carly Corinthos Jacks on “General Hospital”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Bradford Anderson, as Damien Spinelli in “General Hospital”
Matthew Ashford, as Jack Deveraux on “Days of our Lives”
Sean Blakemore, as Shawn Butler on “General Hospital”
Jonathan Jackson, as Lucky Spencer on “General Hospital”
Jason Thompson, as Patrick Drake on “General Hospital”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Melissa Claire Egan, as Annie Chandler on “All My Children”
Genie Francis, as Genevieve Atkinson on “The Young and the Restless”
Nancy Lee Grahn, as Alexis Davis on “General Hospital”
Elizabeth Hendrickson, as Chloe Mitchell on “The Young and the Restless”
Rebecca Herbst, as Elizabeth Webber on “General Hospital”
Outstanding Young Actor in a Drama Series
Eddie Alderson, as Matthew Buchanan on “One Life To Live”
Chad Duell, as Michael Corinthos on “General Hospital”
Chandler Massey, as Will Horton on “Days of Our Lives”
Nathan Parsons, as Ethan Lovett on “General Hospital”
Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series
Molly Burnett, as Melanie Layton on “Days of our Lives”
Shelley Hennig, as Stephanie Johnson on “Days of our Lives”
Christel Khalil, as Lily Winters on “The Young and the Restless”
Jacqueline Macinnes Wood, as Steffy Forrester on “The Bold and the Beautiful”
Outstanding Culinary Program
“Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction,” Food Network
“Giada At Home, Food Network,” Food Network
“Guy's Big Bite,” Food Network
“Sandwich King,” Food Network
Outstanding Culinary/Lifestyle Host
Diada de Laurentis, “Giada at Home”
Rick Bayless, “Mexico—One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless”
Nate Berkus, “The Nate Berkus Show”
Paula Deen, “Paula’s Best Dishes”
Sandra Lee, “Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee”
Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” syndicated
“Live with Regis and Kelly,” syndicated
“The Talk,” CBS
“The View,” ABC
Outstanding Talk Show/Informative
“Anderson,” syndicated
“The Dr. Oz Show,” syndicated
”The Doctors,” syndicated
Outstanding Talk Show Host
Anderson Cooper
Dr. Mehmet Oz
Regis Philbin &amp; Kelly Ripa
The Doctors (entire cast)
Outstanding Morning Program
“Good Morning America,” ABC
“Today Show,” NBC
Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program
“America's Court with Judge Ross,” syndicated
“Judge Joe Brown,” syndicated
“Last Shot with Judge Gunn,” syndicated
“We the People with Gloria Allred,” syndicated
Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show
“BrainSurge,” Nickelodeon
“Cash Cab,” Discovery Channel
“Jeopardy!” syndicated
“Let's Make A Deal,” CBS
“Wheel of Fortune,” syndicated
“Who Wants To Be a Millionaire,” syndicated
Outstanding Game Show Host
Ben Bailey, “Cash Cab”
Todd Newton, “Family Game Night”
Wayne Brady, “Let’s Make a Deal”
Meredith Vieira, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”
Outstanding Children’s Animated Program
“Curious George,” PBS
“Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness,” Nickelodeon
“Peep &amp; The Big Wide World,” American Public Television
“Penguins of Madagascar,” Nickelodeon
“Sid the Science Kid,” PBS
“SpongeBob SquarePants,” Nickelodeon
Outstanding Performance in a Children’s Series
Dakota Goyo, as Josh on “R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour The Series”
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, as Abby Cadaby, on “Sesame Street”
Kevin Clash, as Elmo on “Sesame Street”
Caroll Spinney, as Big Bird on “Sesame Street”
The Daytime Emmy Awards are happening Saturday, June 23rd at 8PM EST on HLN, and rebroadcasting on Saturday, June 23rd at 10PM and 12 midnight, and Sunday June 24th at 8PM and 10PM.
[Image Credit: Getty Images]
More:
General Hospital leads Daytime Emmy Award nominations
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About 'Dallas' and Are Afraid to Ask Your Mom
Oprah's OWN Network Bleeding $149 Million a Year?
Daytime Emmy's

Forget your traditional Disney princess! Instead of finding her Prince Charming or the perfect fitting shoe, Merida (Kelly Macdonald) fights against tradition and makes her own path in the new Disney-Pixar animated film, Brave.
Merida is the epitome of a modern-day princess, even though her story takes place centuries ago in medieval Scotland. With a courageous spirit and bow and arrow in hand, she stands up for herself when her parents, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) and King Fergus (Billy Connolly), want her to marry a lord — specifically, Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), or Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).
The adventure heats up when a frustrated Merida meets a witch who grants her ultimate wish — to change her overbearing mother’s opinion of marriage. However, her wish goes awry when her mother is transformed into a bear, and her father confuses his altered wife for the animal he has been hunting for years. The chase for her mother causes Merida to find the true meaning of bravery from within.
Hollywood.com recently sat down with Kelly Macdonald, Craig Ferguson, and Kevin McKidd to talk all things Scottish, standing up for yourself, and taking the reigns in a Pixar film.
Be sure to check out Brave in theaters this Friday, July 22, and watch our exclusive interview with the stars below:
[Photo Credit: Pixar/Disney]
MORE:
‘Brave’ Trailer: Pixar Gives Its First Female Lead an Epic Adventure
Pixar’s 'Brave' Unleashes More Adventure in New French Featurette
Trailer: Is Pixar's 'Brave' the Disney Princess Movie We Need?
Hollywood.com

If you've been following the world of horse racing, you might have been on the bandwagon of I'll Have Another, the thoroughbred who looked to be the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years. Unfortunately, TMZ reports that I'll Have Another has suffered an injury, and as a result must pull out of Saturday's Belmont Stakes — a turn of events as shocking as it is heartbreaking, considering the horse might never be able to run again.
But of course, this brings to mind some of the other great shocking exits in pop culture history. People pulling out of movies, television shows, celebrity relationships, small business ventures, rehab — famous people are not always the most reliable bunch, so there's a lot to choose from. Here's a list of some of the most surprising leaves of absence that you might remember:
Frank Darabont Gets Fired from The Walking Dead
Although the idea of television programs losing their show runners has become a bit of a pandemic lately, it was a huge surprise way back when The Walking Dead's ingenious creator and show runner was fired by AMC for being allegedly difficult to work with. The post-Darabont years have served fans well, but one wonders just how amazing Season 2 might have been with the big man on board.
Heidi Klum and Seal End Their Marriage
It was a dark, cold day when supermodel Heidi Klum and singer/songwriter Seal announced the end of their seven-year marriage. Nobody saw it coming. The fashion icon and her silver-tongued, rose-kissing husband had seemed like the perfect couple throughout their years in the spotlight. The end of days is truly near.
Shannen Doherty Leaves Beverly Hills, 90210
It didn't seem like the Peach Pit could maintain without the "good girl"-turned-rebel Brenda; when it was revealed that Doherty would not be returning to Beverly Hills, 90210 for its fifth season, fans of the Fox hit were stunned. One Priestley alone does not a Walsh family make.
Chris Daughtry Gets Kicked Off American Idol
Throughout the fifth season of American Idol, one name stayed on the mouths of fans: Chris Daughtry. The talented North Carolinian rock singer was expected to go all the way to the end that fateful year, but instead only took home the title of fourth place. Some people are still protesting the decision.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries End Their Marriage
This might not have been the big out-of-nowhere moment that came along with Heidi and Seal, but it was still an eye-widening moment. Mostly for the "Are these people serious?" factor. The truth is, many people assumed that Kim and Kris would eventually split up. But it was the immediacy of the event that makes it worthy of the list.
Michael Pitt Gets Killed Off on Boardwalk Empire
Boardwalk Empire is one of those shows where no character is safe. Except, logically, the big guys at the center: Nucky Thompson and Jimmy Darmody. After all, how could the show go on if either of these two leading players were killed off? Well, fans will find out come the upcoming third season, as the Season 2 finale gave Michael Pitt's Jimmy the axe. No one saw it coming. And if they tell you otherwise, you know they're just trying to show off.
Ali Fedotowsky Walking Off The Bachelor
Usually on The Bachelor, the competing women wait until they're told to leave before they hit the road. But back on Season 14, the future Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky took it upon herself to voluntarily exit the reality program on the sixth episode. Needless to say, the series' focal star, airline pilot Jake Pavelka, was floored.
Adele Quits Music
She was the biggest thing in the music world for quite some time. Following her vocal hemorrhage in late 2011, the pop sensation announced that she would be taking a break from her singing career, possibly for four or five years, save for a one-off performance at the 2012 Brit Awards. The world awaits the next big Adele hit, but wishes her well in the meantime.
Ned Stark Loses His Head on Game of Thrones
Granted, everyone who read the books beforehand probably saw this coming. And yes, the world should have been tipped off by the fact that Stark was played by Sean Bean — the man has almost never survived a role. But still, watching the main character of the HBO hit Game of Thrones get his head chopped off in the penultimate episode of Season 1... it sparked lots of questions.
EVERYONE Leaves Django Unchained
The forthcoming Quentin Tarantino movie can't seem to hold onto any of its cast members. Since shooting began, the film has amounted, and then lost, a number of formidable players. Among them: Kevin Costner, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Kurt Russell. Good thing Leonardo DiCaprio stayed on board... he looks terrific in the role.
Belmont Stakes
[Photo Credit: FayesVision/WENN]
More:
'Wonder Years' Star Danica McKellar Files for Divorce
Do You Think Morrissey Is Really Going to Retire?
Bill Murray's Hologram Makes Its Television Debut — VIDEO